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The 2014 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here 'Monday 13th February 2017' *Isle of Dogs: 16 Monk Parakeets on feeders in East Ferry Rd garden (Sean Huggins) 'Sunday 12th February 2017' *Amwell NR: red-head Smew Gt Hardmead L south end (Allan Meadows vie Herts BC) *Antill Road E3: Male Blackcap in garden, been present most weeks since beginning of December (Harry Harrison) *Banstead Woods: Red Kite over 1405 (Gloria Saunders via CFBW blog *Beckton SW: Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Egyptian Goose, Pheasant (Dave Morrison via Twitter) *Belhus Woods CP: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest, 6 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 16 Siskin, Nuthatch, Yellowhammer, Skylark, 2 Bullfinch, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, Kingfisher, 4 Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 2 Water Rail, 28 Shoveler, 22 Gadwall, 35 Teal, 30 Pochard, 15 Wigeon (per ELBF Facebook) *Brent Reservoir: 2 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Snipe; Water Rail, 15 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, m Scaup North Marsh opp. public hide & viewing platform 11:45, Red Kite NW 11:30 (Brent Birders) Scaup NOT relocated in the afternoon. *Chelsea Bridge: Mediterranean Gull ad east, Yellow-legged Gull 3cy (Nick Senior) *Creekmouth, Barking: 3 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Caspian Gull (Paul Hawkins via Twitter) *Ellenbrook Fields nr Hatfield: f Stonechat Oakland Ln end (John Yates via Herts BC) *Fairlop Waters: 2 Short-eared Owl, 2 Woodcock, 11 Snipe, 28 Pochard (per ELBF Facebook) *Greenwich Peninsula & Ecology Park: 2 Peregrine, Red Kite, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Grey Wagtail (George Kalli) *Gutteridge Wood: Firecrest (G Westley); Little Egret (Nigel Dodd) * Harrow HA1, Grafton Road: Blackcap (m) in garden since December (Steve Shahbazian) * Highams Park/Woodford Green: 20+ Redwing in Vincent Rd open space, 30+ Redwing in The Highams Park and c44 Redwing on Woodford Rugby Club lower pitch (Mike Smith) * Hogsmill Water Treatment Works: 8 Gadwall, 33 Teal, 4 Wigeon, 17 Shoveler, 33 Mallard, 3 Pochard, 7250 Black-headed Gull (6200 E), 14 Common Gull (13 E), 1100 Herring Gull (970 E), 32 Lesser Black-backed Gull (6 over), 10 Great Black-backed Gull E, 6 Grey Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtail, 15 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki, John Gale) *Hornchurch: 37 Waxwing 26 Airfield Way & 11 'Gl' pub (Shaun Harvey per ELBF Facebook) * Isle of Dogs: 40 Redwing at Mudchute Farm, 2 Egyptian Geese at Great Eastern launch site (Sean Huggins) * KGV Res: Black-necked Grebe, 50 Linnets, 3 Meadow Pipits, 3 Goosander, Green Sandpiper in channel by Wharf Road (A. Middleton) * Lee Valley, Friday Lake: 3 Smew (adult drake and 2 red-heads) (Simon Papps) * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 15 Redwing, 7 Pintail, 2 Snipe, 2 Peregrine, 1 Water Pipit, 2 Shelduck (WWT Website) *Middlesex Filter Beds: Little Egret, 5 Chiffchaff, 12 Teal, 6 Gadwall, Pochard, Grey Wagtail, 14 Redwing and Peregrine (Frank Nugent). *Moor Park nr Rickmansworth: 2 Red Kite, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker h & seen briefly, Marsh Tit, c75 Redwing (Steve Carter via Herts BC) *Panshanger Park: 97 Siskin in alder & silver birch (tim Hill via Herts BC) *Poulter Park: (as per recently) 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 vocal Firecrest '''and 6 Goldcrest in mixed flock with 13 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk, Jay, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Robin - all near wooden bridge by Wandle (Arjun Dutta) *Rainham Marshes RSPB: 14 '''Avocet; 2 Short-eared Owl, Curlew all seen at noon-ish while tide was on the turn along the river and in Aveley Bay; inside the reserve 4 Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, thousands of Lapwing and a sprinkle of Golden Plover (Terence Baker); R Thames Purfleet: Rock Pipit, 14 Avocet, 2 Grey Plover, 113 Golden Plover, 14 Curlew, 887 Dunlin, 661 Lapwing, ad m Marsh Harrier (Fraser Simpson via Twitter); 5 White-fronted Goose still, 200 Wigeon, 1 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2000 Lapwing, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Raven (John McLaughlin via ELBwS website); Lesser Redpoll (Howard Vaughan via ELBF Facebook); Turnstone, 2ad Yellow-legged Gull (per ELBF Facebook) *Roding Valley Meadows NR: Kestrel, 2 Snipe, 12 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail; 6 Redwing, 2m Blackcap, 6 Rook, 6 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting (per ELBF Facebook) *Ruislip Lido: 1 Jack Snipe from Boathouse (R. Middleton). *Rye Meads RSPB: 3 Bearded Tit 2m f ringed, Water Pipit fr gadwall_hide (Vicky Buckel via Herts BC) *Staines Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, 2m Scaup, 11 Goldeneye, Redshank (Thomas Gibson); WeBS - 2 Black-necked Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 12 Great Crested Grebe, Mediterranean Gull, Redshank, 164 Pochard, 171 Tufted Duck, 39 Goldeneye, 282 Wigeon, 50 Teal (Allan Goddard via Twitter) *Surbiton Filter Beds: 16 Cormorant, 8 Lapwing, 2 Heron, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall (Nigel Jackman) *Ten Acre Wood Area: Red Kite, Buzzard, 130 Lapwing 50 on site & another flock of 80 Lapwing flew over from west but didn't land, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rook (Nigel Dodd) *Thames (Putney-Barnes Bridges) WeBS: 24 Cormorant, 3 Heron, 3 Mute Swan, 138 Canada Goose, 4 Egyptian Goose, 315 Mallard. 282 Teal, 22 Gadwall, 22 Tufted Duck, c1750 Black-headed Gull, 28 Common Gull, 141 Herring Gull. 19 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail (Neil Anderson) *Thorndon CP: north section - 2 Nuthatch, 15+ Goldfinch, 100+ Lesser Redpoll in birches nr 2nd car park, 2 Bullfinch h (Andrew Cox via ELBwS website) *Wanstead Flats: WeBS - 593 Common Gull, 206 Black-headed Gull, 22 Mute Swan, 60 Greylag Goose, 221 Canada Goose, 77 Mallard, 18 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 84 Coot, 36 Moorhen, also 11 Skylark, 19 Meadow Pipit, 7 Reed Bunting, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, Stonechat (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: Pheasant still in paddock, 22 Redwing (Rob Sheldon); Wigeon, Coal Tit (Tim Harris) *Yeading Brook Meadows: Jack Snipe (Nigel Dodd) 'Saturday 11th February 2017' *Alexandra Park: Meadow Pipit, 40+ Redwing mostly near Rose Garden, Aythya hybrid Boating Lake, Kingfisher heard (Alan Gibson, Bob Watts) *Brent Reservoir: 240+ Tufted Duck, 70+ Pochard, 11 Common Snipe, Cetti's Warbler, Skylark on West Hendon Playing Fields (Roy Beddard) *Broadwater Lake: 2 Goosander on River Colne (Michael Robinson) *Broomfield Park, Palmers Green: 2 adult Mute Swan incl one with orange darvic 4AHK, 39 Canada Goose incl one metal ring no 5261285, 3 Shoveler 1m 2f, 5 Tufted Duck 3m 2f, 10 Moorhen, 7 Coot, adult Black-headed Gull yellow darvic ring 2BKT, Pied Wagtail, Mistle Thrush, 5 Redwing, 73+ Starling, 16 Goldfinch feeding in birches near crazy golf course (Robert Callf) *Creekmouth: 2 first-winter Caspian Gull (Dante Shepherd, Jamie Partridge) Pictures here; adult winter Mediterranean Gull from east side (Sean Huggins) *Finchley, Garden N3: 2 Stock Dove (Samuel Levy) *Greenwich Ecology Park: pair Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Snipe, 60+ Goldfinch (John Bushell) *Hampstead Heath: 22 Coot, 30+ Ring-necked Parakeets, 9 Shoveler, 127+ Black-headed Gull, 42 Tufted Duck, 15 Blackbird, 27 Goldfinch, 2 Nuthatch, Grey Heron, 20 Long-tailed Tits, Mistle Thrush, 2 Eygptian Geese, 3 Cormorant, 2 Coal Tit, 36+ Common Gull, 82 Redwing, 213 Starling, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Greenfinch, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, Chaffinch, 2 Stock Dove, 10 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 4 Canada Geese. 43 Species in Total (Samuel Levy) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 14 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 14350 Black-headed Gull (13600 E), 32 Common Gull (25 E), 3650 Herring Gull E, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gull (18 E), 10 Great Black-backed Gull E, 10 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Holland Park: c30 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare sports field (David Jeffreys) *Holmethorpe SPs: Dark-bellied Brent Goose WC1 lagoon early-am (BirdGuides) *Hornchurch: 32 Waxwing still on South End Rd at junction with Airfield Way at c.11:30, though flighty; also apparently eating snow on the wing (Joe Taylor); 23 Waxwing Osborne Rd - different flock (per ELBF Facebook) *Lamorbey Park: Little Grebe, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Cormorant, c9 Tufted Duck, Kingfisher (Mike Amos) *Little Britain Iver/Cowley: Great Crested Grebe, 2 Great Spottd Woodpeckers, 3 Treecreepers, 4 Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Wrens, Water Rail along river adjacent to the farm, 8 Grey Herons, Kingfisher Gadwall, 2 Red Kites (Sue Giddens). *London Wetland Centre: 3 (possibly 4) Bittern, 2 Water Pipit, 10 Mandarin 5pr, 7 Pintail, 1m Stonechat, 1m Reed Bunting, Cormorant caught and tried to swallow a 2ft eel (failed - eel injured), Grey Heron caught and ate a Short-tailed Field Vole, Moorhen eating a small Perch, Tufted X Pochard hybrid, 2 Peregrine, Kingfisher also seen (Martin Honey) *Rammey Marsh: Stonechat (Neville Smith). *Rainham Marshes RSPB: Short-eared Owl 3pm (Sean Huggins); 5 White-fronted Goose still, 2 Grey Plover (BirdGuides); R Thames Purfleet - 4 Gadwall, 15 Avocet, 1 Grey Plover, 62 Golden Plover, 219 Lapwing, 9 Curlew, 221 Dunlin, 3 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson via Twitter) *Richmond Park: 114 Shoveler, 11 Mandarin (Isabella), 11 Meadow Pipit, m Stonechat seen on quick visit (Neil Anderson); 133 Shoveler (S Woolfenden) More Shoveler must have flown in after my visit NA *Staines Reservoir: 2m Scaup north basin southeast section, Slavonian Grebe south basin east bank (per Dave Harris via Twitter); 2 Black-necked Grebe still (BirdGuides) *Swanscombe Marsh: Marsh Harrier, 3 Green Sandpiper, adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Water Pipit, Raven (Andrew Self) * Trent Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Goldcrest, 2 Stock Dove, 5 Tufted Duck 3m 2f, 4 Pochard 3m f (Pete Lowman) *Victoria Park: Little Grebe, 19 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard, 25 Gadwall, 4 Red-crested Pochard, 3 Shoveler, Song Thrush, 193 Redwing (Harry Harrison) *Woodberry Wetlands: Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Redwing (Chris Farthing) *Woodford Green: c112 Redwing on Woodford Rugby Club lower pitch (Mike Smith) 'Friday 10th February 2017' *Croydon: Ashburton Pk - c120 Redwing 1500 (Ian Young via Twitter) TQ347669 *Dulwich Park: Siskin and Lesser Redpoll flock of 15, 6 Redwing, 4 Shoveler (Dave Clark) *Dulwich Sports Ground SE21: c280 Redwing (Dave Clark) TQ326736 *Greenwich: Tunnel Ave - Blackcap male (Richard Green) *Greenwich Ecology Park: Common Snipe, Tufted Duck pair, Little Grebe pair, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting pair, 40+ Goldfinch (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam) *Hainault Forest CP: 8 Tufted Duck, Pochard, 7 Shoveler, 4 Cormorant, Water Rail (per ELBF Facebook) *Heathrow: 141 Golden Plover in field next to Hyatt Hotel north of A4 (Adam Cheeseman) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 13 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, Sparrowhawk, 10500 Black-headed Gull (10150 E), 15 Common Gull (14 E), 1700 Herring Gull E, 24 Lesser Black-backed Gull (22 E), 6 Great Black-backed Gull (5 E), 11 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: 26 Waxwing still Airfield Way/South End Rd jn (BirdGuides) TQ527845 *Ilford, South Park: Ad Mediterranean Gull. In response to a query on twitter, the bird was unringed, so unfortunately not Valentino (Adam Winstanley) *Isle of Dogs: ad Mediterranean Gull Saunders Ness on Thames foreshore 8am (Tom Speller via Twitter) *Lea Valley - Netherhall/Glen Faba: 1 Red Kite, 3 Bullfinch, 7 Siskin, 30 Fieldfare, 15 Redwing, 10 Song Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 9 Pochard, 62 Tufted Duck (Nigel May) *London Wetland Centre: 2 Water Pipit, 2 Shelduck and 6 Pintail (Shailesh Patel); 2 Bittern main lake north shore & sheltered lagoon, Stonechat (WWT website) *North Met Pit: 4 Goosander m 3rh, Goldeneye, 2 Egyptian Goose, Siskin; Muntjac (Dave Morrison & Katy Thomas via Twitter) *Poulter Park: Siberian Chiffchaff again as 7 & 14 Jan by R Wandle nr wooden bridge on east side of Pk am (BirdGuides) *Rainham RSPB: Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, Little Egret, Buzzard, 14 Avocet, 18 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 8 Curlew, 600 Dunlin, 2 Caspian Gull 1w, 2ad Yellow-legged Gull, 78 Great Black-backed Gull, Barn Owl, 2 Short-eared Owl (Howard Vaughan et al via ELBF Facebook) *Ravenor Park (Greenford): Green Woodpecker, 9 Redwing, Fieldfare (Kathryn Bull) *Richmond Park: m Peregrine, 99 Shoveler, 10 Reed Bunting (J.Wilczur, S.Woolfenden) *Rye Meads RSPB: Caspian Gull (per RSPB online sightings board) The reserve is fully open tomorrow. *Stocker's Lake: Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Red-crested Pochard, Goldeneye, Siskin, Water Rail, Wigeon, Red Kite, Egyptian Goose (Chris Sharp via Twitter) *Trent Park: 2 Kestrel, m Sparrowhawk, 30 Goldfinch, 5 Pochard 3m 2f, 11 Mandarin 8m 3f, 7 Tufted Duck 5m 2f, m Teal, Song Thrush (Pete Lowman) *Tyttenhanger GPs: 3 Little Egret, Water Rail, Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher, c25 Skylark, c200 Fieldfare, c10 Tree Sparrow, 27 Linnet (per TyttGP twitter) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: drake Scaup & 4 Goosander 2pr on No 4; pair of Goldeneye and 40 Fieldfare on Lockwood (David Bradshaw). *Wanstead Flats: 14 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, Stonechat, 2 Redwing, 16 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, Teal (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: m Pheasant in paddock for 3rd day, Kingfisher (Sean Kerrigan); 8 Goldcrest, Great Crested Grebe, 16 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 14 Tufted Duck (Nick Croft) *Weald CP: 12 Shoveler, 8 Goosander 2m 6f, Red Kite, pr Raven (Andy McGeeney per ELBF Facebook) *Whitton: Nelson School playing field - 25 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, 100+ Starling (Tony Leppard) 'Thursday 9th February 2017' * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Goldcrest, 5 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) * Chipping Barnet: Fem. Blackcap feeding on Sunflower kernels in private garden, visiting daily for past month (Roy Beddard) * Chiswick Eyot: Caspian Gull 2cy, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Snipe (Louis Freeland-Haynes) *Creekmouth: 2 Caspian Gull ad 1w (BirdGuides) *Greenwich Ecology Park: 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, Chiffchaff, 40 Goldfinch (John Bushell) * Hackney Downs: 20 Redwing in trees along Downs Road at 09:00 (Mike Harris) *Hoddesdon (Barclay Park): 25+ Fieldfare, 75+ Redwing incl adj fields, 25+ Siskin on alders nr lake (Julia McDonnell via Herts BC) TL369085 * Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 2 Greylag Goose E, pair Shelduck, 9 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, Kestrel, 11200 Black-headed Gull (10800 E), 1140 Herring Gull E, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull (6 E), Great Black-backed Gull E, 10 Common Gull E, 8 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: Little Egret flew NW over Wingletye Lane at 11:30 (G J Francis) *Kensal Green and St Mary's Cemeteries: 70 Redwing, 30 Fieldfare, 5 Green Woodpecker (Francis O'Sullivan) *Lewisham: Ashmead Rd SE8 - Male Blackcap in private garden (Conrad Ellam) *London Wetland Centre: Caspian Gull 2cy - also seen in January, 130 Herring Gull (J.Wilczur); 2 Water Pipit, only 2 Snipe located, 2 Shelduck m f, good views of Cetti's Warbler near WWF hide, 1 Peregrine in Charge. X (Martin Honey); 2 Bittern still (WWT website) *Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 Little Egret on the river, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff at 0915 (Alastair Dent) *Pinner HA5: Coal Tit exploring the plants just under the kitchen windowsill (Jon Ridge) *Rainham RSPB: ad Little Gull (Howard Vaughan et al via ELBF Facebook); Black-bellied Brent Goose, Short-eared Owl (BirdGuides) *Regent's Park: ad. Yellow-legged Gull on lake this morning (Joe Taylor) *Snaresbrook: Eagle Pond - 33 Shoveler, 49 Gadwall at dawn (Stuart Fisher) *Staines Moor: Jack Snipe, Water Pipit by R Colne 1300 (BirdGuides) *Staines Reservoir: Scaup still N basin, Slavonian Grebe & 2 Black-necked Grebe still S basin by causeway 0750 (Mark Elsoffer/Dan Pinkham via Twitter) *Thames Barrier: Caspian Gull 3w pm (BirdGuides) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Firecrest '''calling and seen briefly 0745 Sanctuary Wood (Bob Watts) *Trent Park: 2 Teal pair, 5 Pochard 3m 2f, 2 Goosander pair, Common Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Goldcrest, 4 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Robert Callf) *Walthamstow FB: f '''Black Redstart still - view fr Coppermill Ln, 3 Grey Wagtail (per BirdGuides/ELBF Facebook) * Willesden Green Underground Station: a Grey Wagtail by the bike racks mid-pm (Les Burrows) * Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Water Rail, Coal Tit, 3 Redwing (Chris Farthing) * Yeading Valley (Minet CP): Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, c20 Linnet, c30 Goldfinch, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker (Dave Bookless) 'Wednesday 8th February 2017' *Alexandra Palace: In garden half-mile north of park - 1 male Blackcap - regularly seen on bird table this week (Greg Smith); Peregrine flying low W along Alexandra Park Road 9am (Andrew Bailey). *Bentley Priory: Flock of 33 Redpoll at top end of Spring Common. Previous highest count 4 (Richard Francis). * Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 1 imm Grey Heron, Egyptian Goose, 3 Shoveler 2m 1f, 19 Tufted Duck 11m 8f, pair Collared Dove, 9 Siskin 7m 2f, 4 Goldfinch (Robert Callf) *Canons Farm: 6 Treecreeper, 70 Fieldfare, c400 Redwing, 150 Linnet, 17 Redpoll ruffett wd (David Campbell & Duncan Jennings via CF&BW blog) *Charing Cross Hospital: 3 Peregrine Falcon (last year young still present, seen trying to engage in courtship display with his mother) (public site) (Nathalie Mahieu). *Creekmouth: c340 Teal, 1 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover, 60 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Caspian Gull 2 2cy Ad, 4 Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Rock Pipit early movers perhaps, 21 Chiffchaff, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff (Nick Senior) *Dungeon Hill: 9 Linnet yr-1st wheatear_meadow (per Dungeon Hill & Scratch Wood blog) TQ269595 *Eastcote (Field End Recreation Ground): 50 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, Lesser Black-backed Gull (Tim Rymer). *Epping Forest (Highams Park/Woodford Green): Firecrest, loosely associated with c10 Long-tailed Tits, Sparrowhawk (Mike Smith) *Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe, Tufted Duck pair, 2 Chiffchaff, 30+ Goldfinch (John Bushell) *Hackney Downs: Little Egret amongst Common Gulls 10:10-10:25 before being chased off by dog (Sue Barry) *Heathrow: c100 Golden Plover in field opposite Compass Centre, Bath Rd (Wendy Marks); 150 Golden Plover present at 14:20 (Adam Cheeseman) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 9 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, Snipe, 5000 Black-headed Gull (4800 E), 775 Herring Gull E, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull over, 3 Great Black-backed Gull E, 6 Common Gull E, 4 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: 25+ Waxwing again Airfield Way; 6 Waxwing Roneo Cnr (Martin Blow per ELBF Facebook) *London Wetland Centre: 4 Bittern, 2 Peregrine, 6 Snipe, 3 Shelduck, 5 Pintail, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Water Pipit, 2 Redpoll, 1 Chiffchaff (WWT Website) *Lower Morden: Little Egret on Pyl Brook (Bob Smith) *Middlesex Filter Beds: 5 Redwing in treetops, 3 Goldcrest at 0830 (Alastair Dent) *Pinner (HA5): male Great Spotted Woodpecker - the red is just starting to come through on the back of the head, so I assume this must be a first-winter, Goldcrest, Coal Tit & Redwing (Jon Ridge) *Rainham Marshes RSPB: Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, m Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 4 Avocet, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew, Snipe, 200+ Dunlin, 9 Ringed Plover, 3 Rock Pipit, 25+ Meadow Pipit, 20+ Skylark, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 m Stonechat, 3 Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, 20 Pintail (Nick Croft); R Thames Purfleet - Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 406 Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, 558 Dunlin, Chiffchaff (Fraser Simpson via Twitter) *Rotherhithe: Stave Hill - Firecrest showing well around the entrance to the ecology park 11:30-13:30, 2 Goldcrest, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (one drumming), 7 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, 4 Greenfinch (John Cadera & Richard Page-Jones) *Rye Meads RSPB: Bittern arr'd fr Kingfisher_hide dir'n 1710 to roost in 'C6' (Vicky Buckel via Twitter) * South Lodge Farm, Enfield: 110+ Redwing, Song Thrush (Robert Callf) * Southgate, Grovelands Park, N14: Female Smew (origin?), 14 Siskin feeding in Alders, 10 Mandarin Ducks 7m 3f, 11 Egyptian Geese (Golf area), No time to check for Firecrest(s) (Bob Husband & Mike Cawthorne) *Staines Moor: pm. Buzzard, Kestrel, 6 Meadow Pipits, 1 Water Pipit, 3 Cetti's Warblers, Snipe, 2 Stonechat, pair of Shoveler, pair of Little Grebe, a scattering of Redwing and Fieldfare (Nick Baker). *Staines Reservoir: m Scaup still North Basin, Slavonian Grebe & 2 Black-necked Grebe still South Basin 0740 (BirdGuides); 2m Scaup still (Dave Carlsson via Twitter); all the aforementioned plus 1 Shelduck, 2 Goldeneye 3.30pm (Nick Baker). *Stanwell Moor: Collared Dove and House Sparrows (Nick Baker) *Thorndon CP: South section - 4 Buzzard (David Dunn per ELBF Facebook) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Skylark over, 2 Reed Bunting, 36 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, c200 Starling (one flock), Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, c150 Common Gull, 2 Egyptian Geese, Teal, first singing Chaffinch of year (John Colmans); also 2 Coots 15:25 on Sheep wash pond (Samuel Levy) * Trent Park: adult Grey Heron, 3 Mandarin Duck 2m 1f, 2 male Teal, 4 Pochard 3m 1f, 6 Tufted Duck 3m 3f, fem Kestrel, 4 Stock Dove, male Kingfisher, singing male Song Thrush, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit (Robert Callf) *Tufnell Park N7: 50 Redwings and 1 Fieldfare in trees at junction of Brecknock Road and Hilldrop Road (Reuben Braddock) *Tyttenhanger GP: Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, c200 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 2 Wigeon, Red Kite, 13 Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: 6 Goldeneye, 5 Goosanders (2 No 4 & 2 No 5 & 1 Lockwood), Scaup (Lower Maynard), 2 Common Sandpipers, female Stonechat, Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warblers and 22 Fieldfare (Katy Thomas and Dave Morrison) *Wimbledon Common: Firecrest in hollies north of Queensmere (Peter Carlill) *Worcester Park: Little Egret on horse field (different from Lower Morden bird) (Bob Smith) 'Tuesday 7th February 2017' *Bank Junction: Sparrowhawk calling above Bank of England 09:20. Heard, then seen. (Kieron Palmer) *Barking: f Tawny Owl Longbridge Rd (Paul Hawkins per ELBF Facebook) *Belhus Woods CP: 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Redwing, 3 Jay, 9 Long-tailed Tit, Stock Dove, Common Gull, 30 Lapwing, 5 Gadwall, 12 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 9 Cormorant & Weasel (Bruce Carson) *Brookmill Park: Song Thrush, 12 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) *Cheshunt: Brookfield Retail Park - Flyover c25 Waxwings disappeared behind trees heading N.East towards Turnford/Broxbourne at 12.25 (Ken Murray) *Cheshunt: Cedars Pk - m Goosander over 1400 (Roland Power via Herts BC) TL355009 *Eastcote (Deane Croft Road): Red Kite over at 14:52 (Jon Ridge) *Ewell: Hogsmill river - 2 Little Egret, 4 Kingfisher (Geoff Barter) *Fairlop Waters: Kestrel, flock of c200 Lapwings, flock of c125 Fieldfares (one of the largest Fieldfare flocks I have seen), 3 Linnets, 4 Redwings, 4 Shovelers 2 pr, pr of Gadwall, 4 Common Gulls, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Long-tailed Tits, Cormorant. Right, that’s my lot. After 16 years in London, I am moving back up north. LB Latest News has been excellent – I have found so many posts extremely useful. I’m glad that a number of my posts have been found useful, too. Two quick things: 1) There is a widely held view that people down south are not as friendly as people up north. Could I just say that in relation to birding, I have found the opposite to be true: by and large, birders down south (and northerners in exile here!) have been considerably more friendly & helpful than birders up north 2) Cherish your Green Woodpeckers! A few birders here are a bit blasé about them. However, I have only ever seen about 2 up north - so do make the most of yours down here in London (Alan Hobson). Good luck Alan :) JR Your regular reports from Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park, Woodford Bridge, have been much appreciated. The woodlark was very special. Best of luck up north. Jones; Go well Alan, I hope that it'll be as fulfilling as it was for those 3 special years at Uni N. Thanks for the kind comments. Barry, I'm hugely impressed that you remembered the Woodlark from 2012! Frank, yes, Uni years special - for both of us AH I love Woodpeckers. Always good to see the Yaffle and G.S. Has there ever been Wryneck or Lesser Spotted on the patch? Worsfold Never seen either on my local patches, alas. I am worried that once I move back up north, I might well be saying that about Green Woodpeckers too! AH. *Greenwich Peninsula: Chiffchaff old Sainsbury Eco park (Richard Green) *Hampstead Heath: Common Buzzard drifted low W over Ladies Pond at 1500 mobbed by a horde of Crows, also heard 2-3 Siskins in birch tops at Sanctuary Pond (Pete Mantle) *Hayes Hill Farm: 14 White-fronted Goose in crop field am (per BirdGuides) *Heathrow: fem. Smew, 3 Goldeneye, Cetti's Warbler (Adam Cheeseman) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 2 Greylag Goose W, 2 Shelduck E, Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, Little Egret S, 12 Redwing over, 9 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: 3 Waxwing still Abbs Cross SC RM12 4YB (per ELBF Facebook) *Ingrebourne Valley: Bittern still (Les Harrison per ELBF Facebook) *London Wetland Centre: 3 Bittern, 8 Common Snipe, 2 Water Pipit, 1m Stonechat, 7 Pintail, 2 Shelduck and 2 Peregrine on Ch. X. Hospital (Martin Honey) *Oxleas Wood: Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Stock Dove, Chaffinch (Ron Turner) *Pinner (HA5): Red Kite over at 14:22, Cormorant west at 16:55, Pied Wagtail & Coal Tit (Jon Ridge) *Primrose Hill: c90 Redwing feeding below viewpt 15:30-15:40 (Twitter) *Regent's Park: Water Rail in rail ditch nr Hanover Br (area 2) still 1630, c15 Lesser Black-backed Gull & c220 Herring Gull on playing fields 1700, m Tawny Owl h Leaf Yard Wd (a40) 1720 then 1 NE fr wood 1740 (Twitter) *Rotherhithe: Red-crested Pochard (Surrey Water), Firecrest (Stave Hill), Blackcap (James Palmer) *Rye Meads RSPB: 2 Shelduck, Green Sandpiper & Water Pipit all fr Gadwall_hide, 6 Cetti's Warbler singing (David Booth via Herts BC) *Staines Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe & 3 Black-necked Grebe together south basin 11:00-11:30 at least, also Scaup still (Robert Martin via Twitter); 2'''m Scaup N & S basins pm (Dominic Pia via Twitter) *Tyttenhanger GPs: '''Caspian Gull the 'duller' 1w again 10:30-11:10 (Bill Pegram via Herts BC) *Walton-on-Thames: no sign of Med Gull at Walton Wharf pm (Dave Harris via Twitter) *Wanstead Flats: 7 Skylark, 2 Redwing, 5 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 3 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck - Sadly the City of London Corporation has been clearing more habitat, supposedly to create more acid grassland (which it won't), it will severly impact ground- and low-nesting birds. Shouldn't effect migrants if we get any, but overall it is very depressing (Nick Croft); Sorry to hear this Nick. Did the Corporation consult local interest groups/birders etc? JanW Their workers said there was consultation, presumably the WREN Group was involved, but I usually get asked my opinion before work is carried out – otherwise I have no idea who was talked to NC probably nobody, i worked as a gardener for the corporation in the late 70s, many people spoke to me about work i was asked to do and expressed concern that their misgivings were being ignored, i always tried to pass this on to my 'superiors' with the usual response being, do as you're told, don't rock the boat, I lasted about 6 months because I got a reputation as an 'agitator' Tanner. *William Girling Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe still & 5+ Black-necked Grebe - no public access but viewable fr Mansfield Pk (BirdGuides) *Woodberry Wetlands: Kingfisher (first for 3 months) (Chris Farthing) *Wraysbury GPs: 3 Smew 1m 1f 1imm fr Douglas Ln 1000 (M Hunt via Berks BN) 'Monday 6th February 2017' *Alexandra Park: Stock Dove mixed in with group of Woodpigeon on trees behind Grove Café, Greenfinch, Nuthatch, 20+ Redwing, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Jay, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Pochard-like hybrid in Boating Lake, Green Woodpecker (Eduardo López-Salas) *Beddington: Jack Snipe, 2 Stonechat, Skylark, Rook, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, 16 Lapwing (Nick Croft) *Belhus Woods CP: 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Water Rail (John & Janet Cadera) *Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Coal Tit, 8 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: 5 White-fronted Goose observed feeding over on Dartford Marshes (Video and photos Twitter), 60 Fieldfare, 25 Linnet, 3 Skylark, Kestrel, 3 Stonechat, 6 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 8 Reed Bunting, 25 Collared Dove. Landfill and surrounding area only. (Donna Zimmer, Steve Carter et al) *Epping Forest (Highams Park/Woodford Green): Buzzard, Firecrest, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Mike Smith) *Fairlop Waters: Kestrel, 23 Fieldfare, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 2 Lapwing (Simon Worsfold) *Finsbury Park, N4: Still c100 Redwing, also 2 Mistle Thrush and a Fieldfare (Ann Feltham) *Fulham: Yellow-legged Gull 3cy on River Thames off Lysia Street 14:45 (Josh Jones) *Highams Park Lake: 2 Pochard, 10 Shoveler 7m 3f (Mike Smith) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: ad m Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 6 Cormorant over, 11 Stock Dove, Redwing, 7 Linnet; also post-roost flock of Jackdaw at the western end of the water treatment works (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: 20 Waxwing still Abbs Cross SC RM12 4YB (per ELBF Facebook) *Lee Valley, Friday Lake: 4 Smew (drake and 3 red-heads), female Goldeneye (Simon Papps) *London Wetland Centre: 1 Bittern, 2 Shelduck, 1 Yellow-legged Gull (2nd W), 9 Pintail, 6 Snipe, 1 Water Pipit (WWT Website) *Margravine Cemetery: 2 Long-tailed Tit with nesting material going into usual nesting bush, 28 Redwing (Nathalie Mahieu). *Motspur Park: no sign of Cattle Egret 0730 (Shaun Ferguson via Twitter) or by 3:00 but there was a Little Egret which is apparently a regular in the horse field, 30+ Redwing, Stock Dove (Nick Croft) Surrey Bird News has confirmed it was a Little Egret *Oxleas Wood: Redpoll, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Jackdaw, Stock Dove, Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Ron Turner) *Primrose Hill: 2 Collared Dove over singly but no northward movement like y'day (Twitter) *Regent's Park: Little Owl Cumberland Grn north end (area 25) 0720 (Twitter); possible Ring-billed Gull (adult or 2nd-w plumage) on lake near cafe at c.09:30 (Joe Taylor, without bins); No sign of poss R-b Gull pm, Water Rail in reed bed opposite Cafe (Bob Husband) *Roehampton, SW15: ad Peregrine - perched, I think a female (J.Wilczur) *Rotherhithe: Stave Hill - Firecrest (calling and showing well by chalk pond), Kingfisher, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Redwing, Song Thrush, Greenfinch (Richard Page-Jones) *Rye Meads RSPB: Water Pipit still fr draper & gadwall_hides (RSPB blog) *Scratch Wood: Firecrest still, Skylark yr-1st, f Stonechat Dungeon Hill (DH&SW blog) *Sevenoaks WR: 3 Waxwing car park 0855 then N (BirdGuides) *Shepherd's Bush: 2 Waxwings briefly in rowans at west end of Gayford Road 12:30. Lots of berries here so may well come back (Josh Jones) *St Pauls: fem Peregrine soaring overhead at 12:30 (Charlie Farrell) *Staines Reservoir: 3 Black-necked Grebe in SW corner of S Basin at 0800 (Alastair Dent); Slavonian Grebe in NW corner of S Basin 08:30 close in near tower - then drifted out and south along western shore, also ad Drake Scaup on N basin with Tufties and Pochard (Bill Haines) *Stocker's Lake: Jack Snipe flushed, 2 Water Rail, pr Reed Bunting (Chris Sharp via Twitter) *Trent Park: 2 Teal pr, 2 Gadwall pr, 4 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest, 5 Nuthatch, 3 Treecreeper, Siskin (Robert Callf) *Twickenham: Red-crested Pochard male on Thames by bridge to Eel Pie Island (Tony Leppard) *Turnford: 28 Waxwing in small trees on A1170 to south of River Arms rbt but flew W at noon (Clifford Smout via Herts BC) *Walthamstow Reservoir:2m.Goldeneye 1 fm.Goldeneye,pr Stockdove,46 Fieldfare (Francis O'Sullian on MBS Walk) *Walton-on-Thames: Mediterranean Gull ad/wp Walton Wharf by Swan Pub (Mark Elsoffer via Twitter) *Watercress LNR nr St Albans: Water Rail, Kingisher, Chiffchaff h (Tony Kavanagh via Herts BC) *West Kilburn: Marban Rd - m House Sparrow, m Blackcap (Francis O'Sullivan) *William Girling Reservoir: 3 Black-necked Grebe 1415 - no public access but viewable fr Mansfield Pk (BirdGuides) *Woodberry Wetlands: Snipe, 2 Teal, also unconfirmed but very plausible-sounding account from an LWT volunteer of a Bittern flying from the north to east reed-bed at 10:30am (Chris Farthing) *Worcester Park: Peregrine E over The Manor Drive 0805 (Lee Dingain via Twitter) 'Sunday 5th February 2017' *Alexandra Park: 125+ Redwing, drake Aythya hybrid still Boating Lake, with 11 Pochard 6m 5f & 50+ Tufted Duck (Bob Watts) *Arnos Park: 2 male Nuthatch, 10 Goldfinch (Robert Callf) *Brent Reservoir: 70 Pochard, 5 Snipe, Little Owl, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Self) *Brockwell Park: 100 Redwing (feeding on grass, Norwood Rd side), 1 Stock Dove (Matthew J. Bradbury) *Brompton Cemetery: c30 Redwing, singing Goldcrest (David Jeffreys) *Canons Park, Edgware, Middx HA8: 20+ Redwings, 2 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming, also on Seven Acre Lake (Private access) 2 Goosander m f, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Shoveler 4m 2f, 2 Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards (Robin Morden, Shailesh Patel, Bob Husband with NW London RSPB regular Birdwalk) *Chiswick Eyot: usual 2cy Caspian Gull on Thames briefly 1345 then flew upriver; earlier seen by Hammersmith Bridge (Josh Jones) *Colliers End: Barn Owl hunting alongside A10 at 1520 (Derrick Ling via Herts BC) *Cranford Park: 2 Sparrowhawks calling, Bullfinch f, 2 Skylarks, Little Grebe, Kestrel (Sue Giddens); 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Stock Doves, c10 Goldcrest nearly all calling, 1 Little Owl heard (Wendy Marks) *Creekmouth: 2 Caspian Gulls (both 1w), Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, Curlew (Sean Huggins) *Crossness: Oystercatcher, Yellow-legged Gull ad, Common Sandpiper, 50+ Redwing, Common Seal (John Archer) *Ealing Green: 6 Redwing (Richard Woolley). *Epping Forest (Highams Park/Woodford Green): 2 Lesser Redpoll, in flock of c20 Goldfinch (Mike Smith) *Fairlop Waters and surrounding fields: 2 Short-eared Owls, Little Owl, Common Buzzard, Stonechat, 2 Treecreeper, Reed Bunting, Skylark (Neil Twyford) *Finsbury Park (Regina Road N4 3PT): 15 Waxwings at 1330, 30 Redwing (G Sawtell) *Footscray Meadows: 3+ Little Grebe, Cormorant (in tree unusual here normally fly overs), Little Egret, Grey Heron over, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Geese, c10 Gadwall, c20 Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 4 Redwing, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, c50 Siskin (Mike Amos). *Greenwich O2: 1 first-winter Caspian Gull '''(Dante Shepherd) *Greenwich Peninsula Chiffchaff, Fieldfare 2, Redwing 4. Ecology Park Little grebe, Tufted Duck 2, Snipe, Reed Bunting 1 male (John Bushall, Richard Green) *Hertford: 2 '''Waxwing in tree outside The White Hart Salisbury Sq SG14 1BW 1110-1120 then N (Graham Knight) TL326126 *Highams Park, The: 4 Mistle Thrush, 5 Redwing, c30 Starling (Mike Smith) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: Greylag Goose, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck, 11 Cormorant over, Little Egret S, 7300 Black-headed Gull (6500 E), 420 Herring Gull E, 17 Great Black-backed Gull E, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull (10 E), 11 Stock Dove, Skylark over, 4 Fieldfare (3 E), 9 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Holmethorpe SPs: c11 Siskin Chilmead Pits (Ian Kehl & Gordon Hay via HSP blog) *Horton Country Park: 300 Redwing, 12 Fieldfare, 2 Bullfinch (Bob Smith) *Kentish Town: Common Buzzard drifting S from 14:05 (Frank Nugent) *London Wetland Centre: 4 Bittern, 1 Water Pipit, 1 Peregrine, 5+ Snipe, 2 Shelduck, 7 Pintail (WWT Website), 2 Caspian Gull 2cy (Josh Jones) *Middlesex Filter Beds: 8 Waxwing east side 1310 (Mike Messenger per Paul Whiteman via Twitter) *Mill Hill NW7: male Blackcap on feeder & Goldcrest on peanuts (very odd), 6 Goldfinch, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Coal Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit (Steve Blake); female Blackcap & 1 Fieldfare in garden, Great Spotted Woodpecker f on TV aerial (Xav Fleming) *Motspur Park: Cattle Egret re-ID'd later as local Little Egret w/ horses at Green Lake Stables 1630 (BirdGuides) TQ228669 *Pinner (HA5): Red Kite west at 13:23, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Goldfinch (Jon Ridge) *Primrose Hill: first obvious if modest northbound passage - 2 Stock Dove, 10 Woodpigeon, 3''' Collared Dove (observer's 1st multiple patch sighting - landed briefly 0900 but harried by Magpies so continued N), Fieldfare, 6 Chaffinch, 8 Goldfinch all N - 08:15-09:45 (Twitter) *Rainham Marshes RSPB: 31 Coot, 9 Mute Swan, 15 Cormorant, 86 Linnet, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Fieldfare, 53 Mallard, 2 Redwing, 18 Reed Bunting, 98 Redshank, 48 Shelduck, 47 Gadwall, 152 Teal, 54 Dunlin, 21 Meadow Pipit, 396 Wigeon, '''1508 Lapwing, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 231 Starling, 19 Skylark, 10 Avocet, 3 Kestrel, Buzzard, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pheasant, 54 Shoveler, Barn Owl, 110 Greylag, 11 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, 12 Snipe, Little Egret, 18 Pintail, 60 Stock Dove, Golden Plover, Stonechat (Samuel Levy); 5 Russian White-fronted Goose still (John Ferguson & Tom Bell per ELBF Facebook); R Thames Purfleet: 5 White-fronted Goose arr'd 1640 & landed in Dartford Marshes, 12 Avocet, 660 Lapwing, 23 Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, 527 Dunlin, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, Barn Owl (Fraser Simpson via Twitter); Bearded Tit (RSPB online sightings board) *Rye Meads RSPB: Bittern still, 2m Bearded Tit fr draper hide, Brambling in trees beyond toll gate am (Graham White via Twitter) *Sewardstone Marsh: 4 Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Bullfinch (Neville Smith). *South Croydon: 4 Waxwing still Goodwin Rd nr school 0925 (Ian Jones via Twitter); 3 Waxwings until 15:15 at least (Croydon Birders) *Southgate Chase Allotments: 16 Waxwing 1550 - 1600 at least TQ295946 (Robert Callf) *Staines Reservoir: 2m Scaup north basin still 0900 (Dominic Pia via Twitter) *Stoneleigh KT17: 1 Common Gull coming to bread in The Glade (Neil Batten) *Ten Acre Wood area: m Pheasant, Kestrel, c40 Lapwing, 13 Snipe, Jack Snip'''e, 10 Stock Dove (1 singing), 5 Skylark, 6 singing Song Thrush, singing Reed Bunting (Neil Anderson/G. Westley) *Thames Barrier Park: 1 first-winter '''Caspian Gull '''upriver 1030 (Dante Shepherd) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: pair Mandarin, 8 Teal, Reed Bunting, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Redwing, several singing Song Thrush (John Colmans) *Turnford: 33 '''Waxwing still in large oak by River Arms rbt EN10 6DB visiting central island to feed on berries am (Graham Higgins via Herts BC) TL364047 *Woodberry Wetlands: Water Rail, 2 Teal, Shelduck (Chris Farthing) *Woodford Green: 54 Redwing on Woodford Rugby Club lower pitch (Mike Smith) *Worcester Park: Little Egret on the horse field which later decamped to the Beverley Brook at Green Lane (Frank Nugent). *Yeading Brook meadows: pr Teal, Little Egret, 106 Common Gull, Little Owl, 2 Redwing, 3 singing Song Thrush, 9 Greenfinch (Neil Anderson) 'Saturday 4th February 2017' *Alexandra Park: 80+ Redwing mostly top of Golf Course before flushed by helicopter, also 2 Fieldfare, male Pochard x Tufted Duck with 8 Pochard Boating Lake (Bob Watts); 5 Common Gull in Boating Lake, Jay, Coal Tit, Mistle Thrush singing at sunset from top of a tree by NW corner of reservoir (Eduardo López-Salas) *Borehamwood: 2 Red Kites over playing fields near Football club (Simon Worsfold) *Brent Reservoir: 50+ Pochard, 200+ Tufted Duck, 12 Common Snipe, 3 Water Rail, 48 Redwing (feeding on Playing Fields with 100+ Starling), Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting m f (Roy Beddard, Joe Taylor). *Colney Heath: 2 Little Egret, 30+ Siskin (per TyttGP twitter) *Crossness: 2 Bearded Tit in protected area, Water Rail, Yellow-legged Gull ad, Common Sandpiper, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew, 4 Stonechat 2pr, Chiffchaff (John Archer) *Dartford Marshes: Caspian Gull 1w by Bob Dunn Way (BirdGuides) *Ewell, Hogsmill Open Space: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk (Neil Batten) *Finchley (Garden N3): 2 Stock Dove, 10 Long-tailed Tits as well as all the regulars, also M Blackcap (Samuel Levy) *Forty Hall CP: 2 Goosander pr incl male saluting, Tawny Owl hooting 1545 (Robert Callf) *Fryent Country Park: 4 Gadwall, 21 Fieldfare, 16 Redwing (Joe Taylor) *Greenwich O2: 1 Caspian Gull 2cy - thanks to Jamie Partridge's photos (Charlie Farrell) *Greenwich Square: Outside the new library 1 Chiffchaff in the handful of planted trees by Trafalgar Rd, also pair of Robins (Joe Beale) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 7 Shoveler, Pochard, Peregrine E, Kestrel, 6400 Black-headed Gull (6300 E), 690 Herring Gull E, 34 Great Black-backed Gull E, 24 Lesser Black-backed Gull (17 E), 10 Stock Dove, Redwing SW, 25 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Hornchurch: 48 Waxwing Abbs Cross SC RM12 4YB (Dick Jefree et al per ELBF Facebook) *Lamorbey Park: 2 Little Grebe, 7 Cormorant, Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Canada Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, c12 Tufted Duck, Peregrine, c100 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, c20 Redwing, Goldcrest, probable Firecrest (Mike Amos) *London Wetland Centre: 2+ Bittern, 11 Common Snipe, 3 Water Pipit, 1 Peregrine, 2 Shelduck, 6+ Pintail (Martin Honey) *Lonsdale Road Reservoir (St Paul's Playing Fields): c35 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare (David Jeffreys) *Neasden: roost of 50+ Ring-necked Parakeets by Iron Bridge (Andrew Self) *Oxleas Wood: Redpoll, Siskin, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Stock Dove, Song Thrush (Ron Turner) *Park Royal: Powersgate (private site) 1 Common Chiffchaff by entrance, no sign of Waxwings sighted here on the 3rd (Charlie Farrell) *Pinner (HA5): 57 Redwing, Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 7 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge) *Rainham RSPB: R Thames Purfleet - Caspian Gull 1w (Fraser Simpson via Twitter) *Sewardstone Marsh, Pattypool Mead: 2 Chiffchaff, Siskin, singing Mistle Thrush, late afternoon (Martin Shepherd) *South Croydon: 4 Waxwing still Denning Ave/Crowley Cresc 1020 (Jo East per John Birkett via Twitter); 1 still 1350 (Ian Jones via Twitter); 4 present in Goodwin Road until at least 16:30 (Croydon Birders) * South Harrow (Newton Park West): 40+ Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Moorhen, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 100+ mixed flock of Common and Black-headed Gull (Tim Rymer) is that 100+ ''each?'' sorry, no, now clarified (TR) *Staines Reservoir: 2m Scaup north basin, Black-necked Grebe (Dominc Pia via Twitter); 4 Ruddy Duck (BirdGuides) *Swanscombe Marsh: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, male Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Avocet, Grey Plover, 130 Lapwing, 250 Dunlin, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Turnstone, Water Pipit, 4 Stonechat, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Raven, 33 Magpies (Andrew Self) *Thames Barrier Park: 4 Caspian Gull first-winters (including a German ringed individual X319) and 2 third-winters (Dante Shepherd and Richard Bonser) Pictures here *Turnford: 35 Waxwing still Turnford rbt in tall trees till 1000 then flew to estate behind New River Arms pub down Academia Ave (Tom Speller via Twitter); 20 Waxwing 1315 on rosehip bush along footpath betw Longlands school EN10 6AG & Felton Close (Stephen Middleton via Herts BC) *Walthamstow Marshes: 30 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 2 Egyptian Goose, Pied Wagtail rear paddocks (Jon Agar); Common Sandpiper, Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, Kingfisher (Pat Critchley) *Waterloo Bridge: belated ID of Ring-billed Gull 2nd-winter seen & photographed y'day (BirdGuides) *Whitewebbs Park: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker observed feeding in hornbeams 1407 - 1429, Firecrest 1429 - 1432 (Robert Callf) *Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Teal, 3 Reed Bunting, Shelduck, 2 Redwing, Fieldfare, Yellow-legged Gull, Cetti's Warbler (Chris Farthing) * Woodford Green: Male Blackcap in my garden (Steve Howey) *Worcester Park: Little Egret, 100 Redwing, Peregrine (Bob Smith) *Wraysbury GPs: 2 Smew m f, 16 Goldeneye, 3 Kingfisher, 1 Red Kite, 10 Fieldfare (Thomas Gibson) Middlesex: Purple Emperor A.iris map for Middlesex (Andrew Middleton, Liz Goodyear) 'Friday 3rd February 2017' *Bow Creek Ecology Park: 7 Redshank, c25 Teal (Charlie Farrell) *Bulphan/Orsett Fen: 30+ Red-legged Partridge, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 50+ Fieldfare, 40+ Redwing, 2 Goosander, 30+ Skylark, 10+ Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson) *City of London - Cheapside: Lively Pied Wagtail dodging lots of City workers (Simon Robinson) *East India Dock Basin NR: Pied Wagtail, 8 Shelduck, 4 Teal (Charlie Farrell) *Grays Riverside: Avocet, Curlew, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Turnstone, 3 Grey Plover (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson) *Greenwich O2: 2 Caspian Gulls 2cy (Jamie Partridge) photos etc here *Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Little Grebe, Snipe, Reed Bunting (male) (John Bushal) *Grovelands Park: 2 Firecrests (responded to XenoCanto), F Smew on lake (Quentin Given) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 4 Greylag Goose NE, 24 Canada Goose, 9 Shoveler, 22 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, Sparrowhawk, 2 Peregrine flying low over trees giving cacking calls, Kestrel, Water Rail, Snipe, 6900 Black-headed Gull (6650 E), 24 Great Black-backed Gull E, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gull (12 E), 17 Stock Dove (9 over), 2 Skylark SE, 16 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Horton Country Park: 2 Raven (John Gordon) *Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: male Stonechat showing well on fence in front of Wake Hide (Mike Oakland) *Lee Valley, Friday Lake: male Smew has returned to its usual haunt after a brief excursion over the county border to Bowyers Water (Mike Oakland) *Lee Valley, Seventy Acres Lake: male Goldeneye, female Goosander, Water Rail (Mike Oakland) *London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern ''' (1 seen & 1 reported), 9 Common Snipe, 1 Water Pipit, 7 Pintail, 6 Mandarin and 1 Peregrine on Ch. X Hospital (Martin Honey); 4cy '''Caspian Gull grazing marsh 12:25 (Josh Jones); 2 Water Pipit still (BirdGuides); 148 Shoveler (site count), 6 Black-tailed Godwit circled then E, Stonechat grazing marsh (WWT website) *Moneyhole Lane Park: 2 Red Kite in dead tree (Lee Fitz via Herts BC) TL271125 *Park Royal: Powersgate (private site) c12 Waxwing '''flew in and perched on tree on site (Stuart Fisher) *Rainham RSPB: 5 '''White-fronted Goose 1200-1600 then E, Water Pipit still (BirdGuides) *Rye Meads RSPB: 2 Green Sandpiper & Water Pipit still fr gadwall_hide 1250 (Pete Waldron via Herts BC) *Scratch Wood: 3 Goldcrest, Firecrest still am (Graham Harris via DH & SW Facebook) *South Croydon: 1 Waxwing heard apparently from large dense conifer outside Fairhaven Court Warham Road CR2 6LF at 10:50; 4 Waxwings in Goodwin Road at 11:30, 2 Sparrowhawks hunting Warham Road area around 10:00 (Peter Phillips/Croydon Birders) *Stocker's Lake: Little Owl farm, Kingfisher, Blackcap, Siskin (Chris Sharp via Twitter) *Sutcliffe Park: 8+ Redwing, Little Egret, Common Snipe, Drake Teal (P Kite) *Swanley Park: Barnacle Goose (not ringed. Site First) (Andy Meaton) *Thames Barrier Park: Caspian Gull 4cy still (Jamie Partridge) *The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: 2 Coot on sheep wash pond 15:40 (Samuel Levy) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: m Firecrest trapped & ringed (BirdGuides) *Trent Park: 2 Goosander, 4 Pochard 2m 2f, 8 Mandarin 5m 3f, 3 Tufted Duck m 2f, 2 Teal m f (Pete Lowman). *Turnford: 23 Waxwing commuting betw Turnford rbt & Canada Fields estate EN10 7NL (Roland Power via Herts BC) *Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm: 4 Little Egret, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, Caspian Gull 1w main pit still, 2 Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 2 Kingfisher, 5+ Tree Sparrow Tytt Farm, c60 Linnet Willows Farm, Yellowhammer h (Tyttenhanger birders via Herts BC) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: No sign of Black Redstart this morning (Quentin Given); Black Redstart on Walthamstow Filter Beds 12:00 best viewed from SW corner looking West along the base of the green slope which runs parallel to Coppermill Lane (Paul Whiteman, Lol Bodini) *Waterloo Bridge: Ring-billed Gull 2w (BirdGuides) *Yeading Valley (Minet Country Park): 1 Red Kite, 1 Kestrel, 3 Little Egret, 4 Reed Bunting, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark, 30+ Linnet, 20+ Goldfinch (Dave Bookless) 'Thursday 2nd February 2017' *Amwell GP: 2 female Smew from Gladwyn Hide (Quentin Given) *Aveley (Mardyke Valley): Great White Egret flew S fr Aveley end of valley toward QEII Bridge 1010 (BirdGuides); Bearded Tit '''(per ELBF Facebook) *Bedfont Lakes CP: '''Bittern sitting on reeds opp black hide 0800 (BirdGuides) *Brent Reservoir: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Common Snipe, 68 Pochard, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Redwing, Black Swan (in flight), Cetti's Warbler calling around Main Hide, 2 Goldcrest (Magnus Andersson & Simon Worsfold) *Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, 5 Redwing {Conrad Ellam} *Canons Farm & Banstead Woods: Red Kite W yr-1st, 50 Fieldfare, c300 Redwing (David Campbell via CFBW blog) *Cheshunt GP: 2 Woodcock (Adam Wilson) *Cowley, Uxbridge: Raven low north over the garden at 09.13 mobbed by the local pair of crows (Roger Morton) *Croydon: 4 Waxwing Warham Rd CR2 6LB feeding on 3 small berry trees in front gdn by rbt c1:30pm (Jack Barnes via Twitter) TQ319643 *Eastcote: Field End RG - 80+ Redwing, 5+ Fieldfare, 300+ mixed flock of Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mistle Thrush, c40 Starling, Roxbourne Pk - Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush, 6+ singing Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, Moorhen, 2 Long-tailed Tit (Tim Rymer). *Enfield Town (River View,EN2): fem Blackcap,15 Goldfinch, 9 House Sparrow (Robert Callf) *Grays Gorge: Firecrest again (per ELBF Facebook) *Greenford UB6: While in garden topping up feeders 15.50 Starling gave alarm & Peregrine flew low over garden (garden first) (Neil Anderson) *Heathrow: 40 Golden Plover in field north of A4 by Hyatt Hotel (Adam Cheeseman) *Hogsmill STW Nature Reserve: 3 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 11250 Black-headed Gull (11050 E), 280 Herring Gull E, 18 Lesser Black-backed Gull E (16 E), 15 Great Black-backed Gull E, 4 Stock Dove, Fieldfare SE, 9 Linnet (Andrew Skotnicki) *Lee Valley, Bowyers Water: drake Smew still in north-east corner of lake (Simon Papps) *Rainham RSPB: 2 Water Pipit fr purfleet hide (Brenda & David Hale via EBwS News); 3m Blackcap (Howard Vaughan via ELBF Facebook); Great White Egret reported (RSPB online sightings board) *Staines Reservoirs: 1 Brent Goose on N basin along E bank late pm (Franko J Maroevic) *The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: 1 Coot on sheep wash pond 16:55. Also large Gull and corvid movement E, but nothing unusual. (Samuel Levy) *Trent Park: 2 Goosander, 2 Teal (m f), f Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard (m 2f), m Mandarin (Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow, Lockwood Reservoir: Peregrine, Kestrel, m Goosander, 2 Goldeneye, 8 Meadow Pipit, Little Egret (Chris Farthing) *Wanstead Flats: singing Skylark, 3 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, 26 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 29 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 3 Teal, singing Song Thrush, Ruby Tiger caterpillar (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: 48 Shoveler, 28 Teal, 17 Gadwall, 19 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, singing Song and Mistle Thrush, singing Stock Dove, Kestrel, and Eel in Ornamental Waters (Nick Croft/Sean Kerrigan) *Warley CM14: 4 Waxwing in Headley Chase gdn on rose hips briefly 0945 (David Dunn via EBwS News) *Warren Gorge EWT: Bittern 0820 (BirdGuides) 'Wednesday 1st February 2017' *Alexandra Park: 30 Redwing perched on trees N of Rose Garden, 5 Common Gull on football pitch (Eduardo López-Salas); 2m Blackcap one alarming persistently in tree near Priory Rd main entrance and another within minutes in garden further along Priory 16.30 hrs (Jonathan Cooke). *Bedfont Lakes CP: m Smew again on south lake fr wooden pier 1545 (BirdGuides) TQ075725 *Belhus Woods CP: 2 White-fronted Goose E 0935, 27 Pochard, Water Rail, 2 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, Barn Owl, 7 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Nuthatch, 8 Fieldfare, 9 Redwing, 18 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Reed Bunting ('RB' per ELBF Facebook) *Bernards Heath: 5 Waxwing h Lancaster Rd but not relocated (Luke Massey via Herts BC) *Brent Reservoir: Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Roy Beddard, Neale Hider) *Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, 4 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) *Cely Woods: pr Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Ken Copleston per ELBF Facebook) Where is Cely Woods? site info *Collier Row: 48 Waxwing Chase Cross Rd still (BirdGuides) *Dagnam Park: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen well feeding in Harold Hill street trees then flew toward moat in Park 1110-1115 (Colin Jupp via EBwS News) *East India Dock Basin: Blackcap female in copse (John Archer) *Ewell: R Hogsmill pm - 3 Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Grey Wagtail - no winter thrushes (Geoff Barter via Twitter) *Finsbury Park, N4: c100 Redwing plus a Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush; 7 Red-crested Pochard 6m f on lake (Ann Feltham) *Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Goldcrest, Water Rail, Little Grebe, Song Thrush, 2 Tufted Duck pair (John Bushell) * Grovelands Park: Little Grebe, 11 Egyptian Goose, male Pochard, 32 Tufted Duck 17m 15f, fem Smew - very tame, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, 2 Goldcrest including singing male, Firecrest feeding in holly near Rangers Hut 1311-1338 (Robert Callf) *Kensington Gardens: 2 Great Crested Grebe (Pair displaying), 1 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 2 Redwing (Charlie Farrell); m Kingfisher still Long Water (Ralph Hancock blog) *London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern main lake (N & S shores), 10 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe (grazing marsh), 6 Pintail (main lake) (Martin Honey); 3rd Bittern, 2 Water Pipit (BirdGuides); 8 Pintail, 2 Yellow-legged Gull 1w 2w marsh, 40 Fieldfare, 18 Redwing, Stonechat (WWT website) *Muswell Hill: Buzzard mobbed by crows near North Circular road 15.15 (Andrew Bailey) *Pinner (HA5): Redwing, Coal Tit & 7 Goldfinch -'' not too great today (Jon Ridge) *Rainham RSPB: m '''Waxwing' 1w by visitor centre still (Max Hellicar via Twitter) *Rye Meads RSPB: Water Pipit still (RSPB twitter) *Stoneleigh Station: 163 Herring Gull ne, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet (Neil Batten) *Trent Park: 2 Goosander (m f), 4 Pochard (2m 2f), pair of Mandarin (Pete Lowman). *Tyttenhanger GPs: 10 Tree Sparrow, 5+ Bullfinch, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl, Kingfisher, 5 Little Egret, c250 Lapwing, c60 Linnet, 12 Redwing, Peregrine (TyttGP twitter) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Black Redstart Coppermill Ln filter beds still (Jason Ward via Twitter) Where does it most frequent/ Any news on the Glaucous Gull or Swallow? Black Redstart has been all over site. Swallow departed, last seen 28/1. Glauc last seen 31/1. Dan Barrett '' '''Archived News' Link to previous months